


stay with me, hold my hand

by lesbimindfields



Series: home is wherever i’m with you [2]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Death, Nightmares, emperor time (mentioned), kurapika just loves leorio so much, leorio loves kurapika too asf, no surprise there, user lesbimindfields listens to the same song on repeat AGAIN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29751840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbimindfields/pseuds/lesbimindfields
Summary: “Leorio had nightmares. They were distant, burnt out echoes of the past painted in a lonesome light. They weren’t the typical ghosts-and-demons nightmares—Leorio was haunted by the remorseful ghosts of his past rather than some occult being bent on taking his soul.”Leorio has a nightmare, and Kurapika comforts him.
Relationships: Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight, Leorio Paladiknight & Pietro
Series: home is wherever i’m with you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2159022
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	stay with me, hold my hand

**Author's Note:**

> i’m back! i hope you all enjoy this one, i really enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> title is from “i will” by mitski, which gives off big leopika vibes in my opinion jwujwhe (totally recommended to listen to while reading, but it’s your choice :))

Leorio had nightmares. They were distant, burnt out echoes of the past painted in a lonesome light. They weren’t the typical ghosts-and-demons nightmares—Leorio was haunted by the remorseful ghosts of his past rather than some occult being bent on taking his soul. They were rare occurrences, but from time to time he would wake suddenly in the middle of the night, shaking and covered in a cold sweat. 

They were wrapped in a familiarity that looked back upon fondly; a vast orange sky hung over his head as the sun beat down on his little seaside town, a ball in his hands and the air pierced with laughter. The shadows of ramshackle buildings and old ships grew long on the sand as the sun began to set, and the crash of the waves against the nearby dock roared. 

In the empty street, Leorio and Pietro kicked up orange clouds of dust and sand. They pretended to be kings, just like in the game they would play on their adventures on the beach and distant fields just outside their town. They didn’t play that game much anymore. Pietro had told him it hurt far too much to run in the alleyways, that he was too tired to venture the empty buildings to create a makeshift base. Leorio stuck by his side anyway. 

They would find their usual playing spot. Leorio would kick the ball, shouting to Pietro not to hold back, to give it all he got and beat Leorio, just like he always did. 

And, like always, before Pietro could even kick the ball back to Leorio, he would double over in the dirt. And, like always, Leorio would run to his side and take in the dark bruises on his tanned skin, the stillness of the body he just saw breathing and smiling. 

He would shake him, cry out his name, even push him and tell him that everything was okay, they could still play, he was going to be alright, there was still plenty of time to keep going until they had to head home, but Pietro would never respond. The air was filled with the sound of the ocean and Leorio’s horrified shrieks. 

Leorio would flip him onto his back. It was the same every time. Locks of blonde hair stuck with seawater and sand covered the pale face in his lap, soft pink lips parted in a frozen sentence, those gray half-open eyes devoid of light, staring at him behind a cloudy haze.

The sun beat down on the two of them as the sand would swallow Kurapika from Leorio’s grasp, and Leorio would plunge his hands into the earth and dig desperately, hopelessly, never caring about how his hands turned red and burned, how the sun blazed on his back and shoulders. He reached for the nimble hands, his chest filling with saltwater, and he couldn’t scream. 

He was hopeless every time, no matter what he would do. Leorio would keep digging, trying to reach as Kurapika would keep sinking away from him, farther and farther into the earth until the sand filled the empty space back up, and Leorio was left with nothing. 

It was over so suddenly. They always ended so quickly. His eyes snapped open; there was a hand on his shoulder, and his eyes stung. Seawater in his eyes. His head was dunked into a tidal wave. 

“Leorio,” Kurapika whispered, his voice thick with sleep. Leorio could see strands of his hair sticking up in the moonlight, the blond hair turned to white like starlight. The sight of him slowed his breath. It was just a dream. “Leorio, is everything alright? You were crying out in your sleep.” 

Leorio stared for a moment. He was curled up, his legs numb and arms wrapped around himself. His knuckles were white, the joints looking like they were moments from bursting through the skin. He blinked, and a tear ran down his cheek. 

“I—” he started, wanting so desperately to find the words, but they were lodged in his throat. Leorio deflated, and let out a sob. “I’m sorry.” He didn’t even know what he was sorry for. 

Kurapika sat up. “Don’t apologize, you have nothing to be sorry for, love.” He went to wrap an arm over Leorio’s chest, but he stopped suddenly. “Is this alright? Do you need me to do anything for you?” 

Leorio nodded, and felt Kurapika’s arm snake around him. He could hear his shoulder settle on the pillows. Kurapika could hear the faint, feeble whisper, “Stay with me,” cut through the silence. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kurapika asked. 

“Yes,” Leorio replied quietly. “If you don’t mind.” 

“Okay. That’s fine. I’m here to listen and be here for you.” 

And Leorio told him. His voice was hushed as he described the descent from a fond memory to horror, terrified of living through losing Kurapika again, and Kurapika held him the entire time. 

“That’s it, basically. I just— I hate seeing him die, you know? And I hate seeing you go like that, it just… it terrifies me. Every fucking time.” Leorio let out a shuddering breath, one that rattled deeply in his ribcage and lingered in his chest. Kurapika rested his cheek on the crown of his head, and Leorio could feel tears prickle back up again. “I don’t want you to leave, I don’t want to lose you. You and the kids are all I have,” he whispered. “I can’t lose you guys. I don’t know what I would do if I did. You’re my family, and I can’t bear the goddamn thought of something ever happening to any of you.” 

Kurapika ran his thumb over Leorio’s cheek. For a moment, he didn’t respond. Leorio knew he was thinking about Emperor Time, and how they both didn’t know how much time they had left together. The unknown seemed to scare Leorio more than the idea of knowing exactly how long they had. Leorio’s heart ached once more at the notion of losing Kurapika, and he bit his lip to keep from crying. 

“I love you,” Kurapika whispered against Leorio’s hair. “And I know you’re scared. I’m scared, too. But you’re here. I’m here. And that’s what matters, I suppose. Leorio,” Kurapika murmured, pulling away and looking down at him, the moonlight on his skin, “I will always love you. No matter what, whether I am dead or alive. Always, always, always. I feel like I'm on fire with it, sometimes. The kids love you, too. I know you’re worried and scared. But the best we can do right now is take the time that we have and make the most of it.” 

He pressed a kiss to Leorio’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your nightmare. I know how much it hurts, to see the people you love leave you continuously in a nightmare.” His hand was placed on his sternum, and Leorio stared up at him with tears pooling in his eyes. Kurapika pressed another kiss to his cheek. “It’s okay, love,” he whispered. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” 

And Leorio cried. He never thought he cried that hard in his life. He hugged Kurapika tightly, the hot, salty tears soaking into the fabric of his oversized shirt and sobs muffled by his shoulder. 

And Kurapika held him, whispering into his ear, tears welling up in his own eyes. He knew what it was like to be scared beyond belief; the best he could do was just be there. A part of him knew that he always would be. 

And when Leorio’s sobs ebbed away like the tide receding from the shore, Kurapika guiding him back to dry land, he pulled away. He ached, body and soul, but he still held Kurapika so close, like he’d fall away like water through his fingers. He sniffled, Kurapika’s hand on his tight, tear-stained cheek. 

“I got your shirt wet,” Leorio croaked. “I can get you a new one if you want one.” 

“It’ll dry,” Kurapika reassured him. He kissed Leorio’s forehead softly, his fingers in his hair, the love evident in his eyes when he pulled away and met Leorio’s gaze. “Get some sleep, Leorio. I love you.” 

Leorio smiled. “I love you, too.” 

And when they drifted back off into sleep, Kurapika’s arms around Leorio, Leorio’s dreams were filled with the sweet sight of Kurapika standing on a beach, a bundle of yellow flowers in his hands. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! i have some fics in the works for the series right now, i can’t wait to finish them soon and post them for you all to enjoy. 
> 
> i hope you all have a wonderful week!!


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